Part 8 of series: What Was the Message of Jesus? This post could have been entitled “Where the Kingdom of God is Not.” It deals with the first of two common misunderstandings of the kingdom of God as proclaimed by Jesus. I’ll address each of these, one today and one tomorrow, by stating something that the kingdom is not and then defending my statement with evidence from the gospels. 1. The kingdom of God is not what we call heaven.... Read more
God Is On Your Side! Psalm 56:1-13 My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side! Psalm 56:9 In Psalm 56, David cries out to God for mercy because “people are hounding me. My foes attack me all day long” (56:1). In particular, David’s enemies are seeking to harm him by “slandering” him, “boldly attacking” him, and “twisting” his words (56:2, 5). In the midst of this conflict, David quells... Read more
Speaking Up in Class, Silently, Using Social Media Trip Gabriel, writing for the New York Times, examines the growing use of social median in classrooms. Here’s an excerpt: With Twitter and other microblogging platforms, teachers from elementary schools to universities are setting up what is known as a “backchannel” in their classes. The real-time digital streams allow students to comment, pose questions (answered either by one another or the teacher) and shed inhibitions about voicing opinions. Perhaps most importantly, if... Read more
Every spring, a couple of barn swallows return to my back porch. Soon we have the high-pitched tweets (real tweets!) of several baby barn swallows. The proof is in this video: Read more
Part 7 of series: What Was the Message of Jesus? Oops. Yesterday’s post “Where is the Kingdom of God?” came a day too soon. I want to say a little more about how Jesus proclaims the kingdom of God before I move. So please pardon a day of backtracking. In Tuesday’s post, I showed some of the ways Jesus used words to proclaim the kingdom of God. These included basic statements of fact, explanations, and parables. But Jesus “proclaimed” God’s... Read more
Part 6 of series: What Was the Message of Jesus? Where is the Kingdom of God? So far in this series we’ve seen that Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God using a variety of words and works. The essence of his message is summarized in Mark 1:15: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Growing up as a Christian, I always read this verse as saying: “The time... Read more
In a few days, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will officially revise its ordination standards. Voting in PC(USA) regional bodies (presbyteries) now makes this change inevitable. Newspaper headlines will say things like: “PC(USA) Endorses Gay Ordination.” This is true in a way, but not entirely true either, because no church in the PC(USA) will be compelled to accept actively gay leaders. What is true is that my denomination has voted to change our governing rules in the Book of Order in... Read more
“For Some, Helping With Disaster Relief Is Not Just Aid, It’s a Calling” A fascinating article in the NY Times by Kim Severson. She examines the extensive involvement of Christian and other religious groups in disaster relief efforts. The Southern Baptists are have a particularly effective and extensive ministry. Here’s how the article begins: The minute they got the call from Southern Baptist Convention disaster relief leaders that tornadoes had ripped through the South, the Blankenships grabbed their sleeping bags... Read more
Part 5 of series: What Was the Message of Jesus? So far I’ve shown that the central message of Jesus was: “the kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15). This kingdom was not a place where God reigns, but rather the reign of God itself – God’s rule, authority, and power. The reign of God, Jesus says, is at hand. But how does Jesus proclaim the kingdom of God? What are his means and methods? Basic Statements of Fact.... Read more
Looking for a Parking Spot? We’ve Got An App for That According to the New York Times, San Francisco has introduced an app to help drivers find open parking spots. Utilizing special parking sensors and iPhone technology, the city promises to help frustrated drivers will cutting down on wasted time and energy. There is concern, however, that drivers will be watching their iPhones while they are driving, instead of pulling over. No kidding! California College Adds New Major in Secularism... Read more
Mark D. Roberts
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In